Photo by The NFL would be so much better if these issues just disappeared. In this sport we love called football, there are many wondrous things. Superb athletic feats. Watching Patrick Mahomes throw the ball. Walk-off punt returns for touchdowns in Week 1. Sauce Gardner’s closing speed and freakishly long arms.
With that, though, come plenty of annoyances. Things you wish were better or that people stopped doing. Pet peeves. Here are the ones I hate the most.
Highlight-reel plays / great box score stats / Pro Bowls = great player
Dalvin Cook is the classic example of this category. Jets fans clamored to sign him and then were elated when Joe Douglas pulled the trigger.
The NFL is a lot more nuanced than box score numbers, highlight reels, and even Pro Bowls.
The NFL is a lot more nuanced than box score numbers, highlight reels, and even Pro Bowls. Remember, Duane Brown made the Pro Bowl the year before he signed with the Jets. (At least look at All-Pros if you want to be even marginally fair.) Jordan Whitehead is the classic flashy player who makes big hits occasionally but is a miserable player overall.
Pro Football Focus grades
In geometry class, my teacher used to tell the class, “You can’t judge a figure by what it looks like, but you can’t be blind, either.” That describes my relationship with Pro Football Focus grades. Citing PFF grades as definitive proof of how good a player is makes me nauseous.
PFF grades are a better mental shortcut than box score numbers.
I suppose PFF grades are a better mental shortcut than box score numbers. I’ll give them that. In some areas, such as run defense and run-blocking, they’re the only publicly available numbers, forcing analysts to use them despite understanding their shortcomings.
Overpaid quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence’s $55 million APY boggles my mind. In three NFL seasons, Lawrence has had exactly one half of one season when he seemingly lived up to his potential. NFL teams must find a way to create a bigger middle ground for quarterback deals rather than allowing each average or slightly above-average passer to usurp the previous record for APY.
You would think Deshaun Watson’s deal would be a buyer-beware sign for the rest of the NFL.
You would think Deshaun Watson’s deal would be a buyer-beware sign for the rest of the NFL. Or maybe Kyler Murray’s, at least. While no quarterback has gotten a fully guaranteed deal like Watson, teams continue to dole out huge money for players who haven’t proven to be anywhere close to the top echelon of NFL quarterbacking.
Anti-analytics bias
While analytics has picked up steam in the NFL world, the old-school mentality still rules in many sectors. Robert Saleh is certainly a prime example of that. While film study is critical in football, using it together with analytics is the only way to get a complete picture.
The Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles have had substantial success over the last several decades, in part due to their willingness to embrace analytics.
The Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles have had substantial success over the last several decades, in part due to their willingness to embrace analytics.
Aaron Rodgers’ media treatment
It’s one thing to dislike Aaron Rodgers personally. But that’s not why media members loathe Rodgers; rather, it’s all because he lied to them about a personal decision. He became persona non grata around the NFL, and any opportunity to bash him is pounced upon like a predator circling its prey.
Get your priorities straight, media. And stop taking everything so personally.
Honestly, it’s tiresome. There are NFL players who beat their wives, girlfriends, and children, but Rodgers is public enemy No. 1? Get your priorities straight, media. And stop taking everything so personally.
Pass interference on underthrown balls
For a defensive back, these kinds of pass interference calls are extremely frustrating. Looking back for the ball too early slows down the defender and will likely lead to the receiver pulling away for a big gain. Until the catch point, the defender is naturally keeping pace with the receiver. What would have been sticky coverage suddenly turns into a penalty merely because the ball was underthrown and the defender was appropriately playing the receiver.
It benefited the Jets in 2023 against the Giants in overtime when Zach Wilson’s woefully underthrown ball to Malik Taylor resulted in a DPI to set up the game-winning field goal.
I get that it meets the criteria for pass interference, but it’s an example of making it impossible to play defense.
The review process
Why do booth reviews or challenges take so long? Why can’t you just have a sky judge quickly correct the most egregious errors without resorting to a challenge? I could go on and on about this, but you know what I mean.
Why can’t you just have a sky judge quickly correct the most egregious errors without resorting to a challenge?
